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Fight the Flu with Apples and Onions

An apple a day really could help keep the doctor away this flu season.

The Department of Pharmacology at Ji-nan University in China determined that quercetin, a pigment in plants that promotes longevity in the plant’s life, has major anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulation effects. Quercetin can be found in high doses in plants such as red onions, apples, and kale. When lipopolysccarides (molecules that make up part of bacteria, such as some strains of influenza or pneumonia) are introduced to the system, the result is eventually DIC, or disseminated intravascular coagulation. DIC leads to the formation of small blood clots inside the blood vessels throughout the body, which will contribute to vital organs malfunctioning.

When quercetin was presented to rabbits with LPS-induced DIC, there was a substantial decrease in the production of blood clots and accumulation of waste in their blood.

Along with helping prevent harmful bacteria and blood clots, many have found quercetin to help with their acne, eczema, and blood pressure because of it’s anti-inflammatory properties. Give yourself a quercetin boost with one of these recipes, filled with foods high in this healthy flavonoid!